


Hum it like you mean it

by theleftboobgrabber



Series: Won't you take me home? [1]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec keeps falling asleep around Magnus, Clary and Alec are bros, M/M, Magnus keeps humming around Alec, Originally Posted on Tumblr, mild spoilers for the first three books
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 00:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6173002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theleftboobgrabber/pseuds/theleftboobgrabber
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three times Alec falls asleep and wakes up with Magnus humming <i>that</i> song</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hum it like you mean it

**Author's Note:**

> Magnus strikes me as a 2000-pop song connoisseur  
> (all thanks to halliwellxx on tumblr for the beta and her kind words)

Clary hadn’t seen Alec in a while. So when she received a message from the older boy, asking her to meet him at Taki’s for lunch she was a bit wary. He looked contrite, embarrassed, but above all, determined. They made small talk until the waitress brought their food. When she left, Alec took a long sip of his water and went down to business.

“I have a question. And… well I guess I could ask Simon but he would just laugh and tell Izzy and this,” he made an all encompassing gesture between the two of them, ”can never, ever be know okay? Clary I’m trusting you with this,” Alec declared.

Clary could barely believe her ears, Alec was coming to her for help? Sure, her relationship with the archer had improved a lot since those tense first weeks but…

“Wait, how do you know I’m not going to blabber to Jace?” she asked, confused.

“You wouldn’t,“ Alec answered with conviction. "Also don’t speak of it to Magnus”.

That raised Clary’s alarmes.

“Alec you’re scaring me right now. If there is a problem, you can’t hide it from the others, especially not from Magnus,” she tried to reason with him.

“It’s not a problem, it's… listen it’s just embarrassing ok? I just… I need your help, please?”

Clary looked at him, trying to judge what was bothering him so much, turning him into a human tomato, but she couldn’t figure it out.

“Okay, shoot.”

Alec gave a look around, as if to reassure himself that no one could hear what he had to say. When he was satisfied, he fidgeted, barely meeting Clary’s expectant gaze. And then… to her astonishment, Alexander Gideon Lightwood, shadowhunters extraordinaire, certified badass and former buzzkill, started to hum.

Clary gaped. Alec, catching her expression, stopped immediately, turning redder than before.

“I can’t do this if you’re mocking me Clary,“ he groaned.

“I’m.. I’m not mocking you. I’m just.. confused? What are you doing?” Clary asked. This wasn’t what she expected from her lunch with Alec.

“I need you to tell me what is that song. It's… I don’t know what it is and Mags is driving me crazy with it… I mean… in a good way?“

Alec buried his hand in his hair, looking down at the table. After a moment he added, softer this time “He’s humming that when he thinks I’m sleeping. Always with that song, ever since.. and I don’t know, I just wanted to…” he stopped, lost for words.

Clary reached across the table and took one of Alec’s hands and held it tight, amazed for a second how big it was compared to her own. She tilted her head down, trying to catch his eyes. Somehow, she knew where this was going. Izzy had been complaining for a month about Alec’s attitude, that he was regressing to his past closed-off ways, refusing to talk about what was bothering him, to the point that his sister had threaten to go and kick Magnus’ ass if needed. Even Jace had mention to her that Alec felt off.

So Clary said, barely containing her excitement, “Are you going to ask Magnus to marry you?”

Alec straighten his head immediately, like Clary had pinched him. He looked at her with wary eyes. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT??” he shouted. Clary winced, she could see the other patrons and waiters looking disapprovingly in their direction.

“Oh my god! You are asking him!!” she couldn’t stop herself to squeal in joy, gripping Alec’s hand as much as she could.

“So you need the song to, what, set the mood? This is so perfect! Magnus will be so happy. By the Angel, Alec I’m so happy for you!!” she wanted to hug him so much.

“Izzy is going to be so mad that you knew before her,“ he said, finally smiling. Clary was sometimes amazed that after all they went through, individually and as a group, they could still smile, be happy and hope. She cherished those moments with all her heart.

“I won’t tell on you. Hum it again, so I can tell you what it is. If I can’t I’ll force Simon to help and swear him to secrecy,” she said readily. Love did not wait.

“You think he’ll keep quiet?”

“Oh believe me. He’ll be too scared of Izzy’s wrath if she finds out he was told second.”

Alec hummed the song again. After two years of Magnus humming it every chance he got (as in: when he was awake and Magnus thought he wasn’t), the archer knew it well but hadn’t been able to find it anywhere. That’s where Clary and her mundane upbringing came to play.

*******

**The first time** it had happened was after their second date. It had went well. Alec was on time, no werewolf right activist had accused him of killing uncles, no crazy exes, and no emergency call. Alec had taken Magnus to Central Park for a picnic. It was quite a mundane thing to do, but the weather had been in their favor and he had heard (from Clary? Simon?) that its was romantic.

And oh boy, did Alex want to romance the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Magnus had been delighted, going as far as calling Alec the much dreaded A-word. They had talked and talked and laughed. By the Angel, Alec had never laugh so much in his life. Here with Magnus he could just be himself. No Clave, no family honor to uphold, no mark-stripping, no inadequacy. It was as if he had conjured Magnus from one of his deepest fantasies. Magnus didn’t want anything from Alec except to spend time with him, making him laugh and blush (and ogles. But that was really fine because Alec was doing it right back). It was refreshing to be that carefree version of himself, that was apparently hilarious and perhaps good enough to be noticed by the likes of Magnus.

They had spent hours on that blanket and when the food had ran out, Magnus had simply conjured more (it suspiciously looked like Taki’s, but Alec was too blissed out to comment on the apparent theft).

At some point Magnus had rolled on his back and looked at the dark sky, making an offhand comment that it was still strange, after all this time, that he expected to see the stars in Manhattan’s sky like he used to. The older man had immediately tensed and sat back, reaching for a drink. Like he hadn’t meant to say that, not out loud. And certainly not to Alec. Alec, trying to lighten the mood, had say that Magnus should have killed Edison when he had the occasion. Magnus at looked at him with surprise, snorted loudly, and sprayed his shirt with his drink.

It had been a good night. An excellent night even.

Alec had begin to yawn and Magnus, taking pity on him, had declared that it was time to go home. However, Alec didn’t want to be logical about it. Yes, it was late. Yes, they should have parted ways, the Institute being closer than Magnus’ appartement. Alec didn’t care.

When he had simply followed Magnus back to Brooklyn, the other man had just cocked an eyebrow at him. Alec had answer by taking (after many, many minutes of self doubt) Magnus’ hand in his own. Magnus had smiled- an honest, almost shy smile, like the one he had gave Alec that night after healing Luke.

Alec knew this was dangerous, that it could be too much. It didn’t stop him from following Magnus in his flat and accepting the cup of tea Magnus made for him.

He doesn’t remember falling asleep on the couch. What brought him back to consciousness was the oh-so-careful hand in his hair. Still entangled in his dreams, it took Alec a moment to register Magnus humming. It wasn’t much, but it pleased Alec beyond reason. He didn’t know the song but that didn’t stop him to like it, to commit it (and everything else) to memory.

It went on a while, until Alec began to worry about the time and purposefully stirred. Magnus stopped his humming immediately, retracting his hand just a fraction slower. Alec opened his eyes and yes, the tiniest bit of embarrassment was there to see on Magnus’ beautiful face.

“Hey sleepy,” he said, his lips spreading in a coy smile, “you should have told me I was boring you.”

“You could never,“ answered Alec honestly, reaching Magnus’ cheek and caressing it.

Magnus had kissed him then, slowly, carefully, as if to make a point out of it. As if to say   _You don’t bore me either._

*******

**The second time** the humming had occurred had been a catastrophe in the making. And the last good thing to happen to Alec for the longest time. Or at least, it had felt that way to him.

At the back of Luke’s truck, Alec had awoke groggily, his body tense, both from the frigid water he had nearly drown in and the terror that had followed him in unconsciousness.

Now, he could see that Valentine’s boat was sinking. Alec knew, distantly, that Jace was fine (thanks the Angel for his _parabatai_ mark), and Magnus had assured him that Izzy was safe.

But they weren’t. He could see that Magnus what on the verge of collapsing, sucked dry of his magic. The spell maintaining the truck afloat was deplaning the warlock’s energy reserved quickly and even Alec’s sharing his strength with him wasn’t enough. Just like him.

It was strange to feel the last of his energy going through him to Magnus. Its felt easy. So unlike giving Magnus the answer he deserved. Alec lost consciousness again, lost in a memory of an happier night, full of laughter and humming.

When he woke up, he was in pain. His vision, blurry at best, let him situate himself back at the Institute. The infirmary. He breathed deeply for a while, even if it hurt to do so.

“Hey Alec? Oh thanks the Angel you’re awake! I was so scared I would lose you!” Isabelle’s voice was hoarse and her face a mess of tears, blotchy cheeks and the most magnificent smile he ever saw.

“Iz... You ok?”

“If I’m... You’re the one laying down in the infirmary, big brother,” he chuckled at that.

“Jace? Mom and dad?”

“All okay. Well, mostly. Last night was rough on everyone. Valentine got away with the sword,” Izzy explained.

Alec closed his eyes. Valentine had won. Valentine could be ending the world as they knew it right now and they couldn’t do anything. He felt like shit. He wanted to scream, to do something, anything, not to feel so helpless. He needed to calm down. He needed…

“Magnus!“ he exclaimed.

“What about him?”

“Where is he?” Alec sat up, ignoring the pain, frantically searching for Magnus on the other beds surrounding his own.

“He isn’t here Alec,” Izzy said, trying to push him back down.

“What? Where is he?”

“Listen. Mom and dad found you in the back of Luke’s truck. It had settled on the river bank. They just…” Izzy looked uncomfortable, “they just took you. They mention in passing that Magnus was with you, also unconscious, but they left him behind,” she finished, not looking Alec in the eyes.

“When they told me it was already too late, Alec. Listen I’m sure he’s…” Alec grabbed her hand and made her stop with a cold glare before she could finish.

“Don’t.” Alec never had used that tone with her. Forbidding, cold. Something that their parents could have pulled off easily.

“Alec, please...”

“I know it’s not your fault.” And with that he was up, wincing in pain, gripping the bed railing to stabilize himself. Isabelle was frowning.

“Where are you going? You’re not well Alec!”

“To my room. I need clothes,” he said, leaving Isabelle to deal with the fallout of his disappearance. He felt too angry too care.

He hastily drew _iratze_ after _iratze_ across his skin and snuck out the Institute.

When he got to Magnus’s loft, it was late afternoon. The place was in the dark though, heavy curtains on the massive windows kept the sun from flooding the rooms. The chairman was on the sofa, watching Alec with his usual curiosity. He stopped by the cat and petted him quickly on his way to Magnus’ bedroom.

Feeling like a creeper, he let himself in, making no sound, terrified of what he would find there. With his nyx mark, Alec could see Magnus’ form on the bed. He was on his back, wearing one his silk pajamas bottom, sprawled over the covers, dead to the world. Alec felt a knot in his belly loosen, so fucking relieved that Magnus made it.

It struck Alec’s mind that Magnus appeared so diminished. Alec could see the sickly pallor of his skin, the dark blue under his eyes like bruises. This wasn’t right. Magnus was loudness. Fancy clothes, bold hair and bolder makeup. Ever graceful, loving the attention and demanding it in the way he talked and carried himself. Every action, a statement, like a subtle way to command the room. But right there, Alec dumbly realized that that he was breakable and limited. Magnus was human after all.

Alec felt the urgency to be close. So he stripped down to his boxers and sat on the bed, careful not to wake Magnus and laid down at an awkward distance from the other man: not as close as he wanted (presuming that, after their conversation, Magnus still wanted him was already a gamble), but not too far (how could he stand it otherwise?).

He looked at Magnus’ profile, tensed even in sleep. “I don’t deserve you Mags,” he said at the sleeping warlock, “I really don’t.

When Alec woke up, he thought himself dreaming still. A careful hand was in his hair and someone was humming. Magnus. The humming wasn’t as lively as it was the first time: slower, sadder somehow. But Alec would have recognize the rhythm anywhere. It hurt more than his ribs.

Magnus was awake and was being affectionate. _I don’t deserve you_ , Alec couldn’t bear it. It was unfair that he would find someone so perfect for him, while Magnus had to deal with a coward.

The archer moved deliberately and Magnus stopped. _He doesn’t want me to know he cares this much. Even he knows I’m not worth it_.

“I was afraid that I dreamed you darling,” Magnus said simply.

“How so?” Alec looked at him then. Magnus had open the curtain here, just a bit, and the nephilim could see that the older man, while still showing signs of fatigue, didn’t look as feverish as the night before. Magnus was looking at him intently, the same look he gave to old books written in tricky dead languages.

“In the truck. When I woke up, you were gone,” Magnus’ voice cracked, “I thought I had hallucinated saving you.” He looked away.

“My parents found us. They took me and…”

“Left me behind? Not that surprising. I’m nothing but a tool to them,” Magnus finished for him.

“I’m so sorry Magnus. They shouldn’t have done that.” He sat up, reaching Magnus’ face but stopped before he could make contact, because Magnus had tensed. Magnus had never tensed before when Alec had initiated touching. Not like this. Alec let his hand drop.

“How are you feeling?” he asked instead, looking at his empty hand.

“Better. Last night took its toll, but I had worst,” he answered simply. After a moment, he added “You should go Alexander, I’m sure your parents are looking for you everywhere… and you don’t want them to find you here.” It hurt. It hurt so much but Magnus was right. And Alec deserved it.

“Okay. Just… call me me if you need anything?” he asked, gathering his clothes and putting them back on with the efficiency of someone on a mission. He couldn’t cry in front of Magnus. He wouldn’t.

When he was ready, he glanced back at Magnus, dreading what he would see. But the man simply looked tired. Alec couldn’t stop himself, he went back to the bed, on Magnus’ side this time and kissed his forehead. A simple touch of lips, the only thing he had to offer. Alec didn’t dare look at Magnus’ face, afraid the warlock would see the tears that had begin to fall on his cheeks. Alec left the loft in silence.

*******

They were lounging at the end of the world when it happened **the third time**.

Midnight was fast approaching and with it a battle that would probably claim them both (and everyone they knew and loved), that would spread to the rest of the world and, ultimately, burn it down.

Alec could care less. He had suffered enough for a lifetime as far as he was concerned. And those few hours of calm? By the Angel he intended to spend them with Magnus. That’s what he wanted: to spend the rest of his life with Magnus. It could mean living to see the dawn or not.

There, on the large granite steps of the Accords Hall, lost in each other eyes, nothing else mattered. Not the days apart, not the resentment, not the doubts and certainly not the looks some people were still giving them. Alec loved Magnus, and Magnus loved him. And for once, it was enough.

Alec was laying down on the hard stone, his head pillowed on Magnus’ lap. The other man was looking at him like he never seen him before, absently caressing Alec’s alliance mark. Magnus had been opening his mouth and closing it right after for an hour now, incapable of uttering a word.

“When you said you would introduce me to your parents, I didn’t imagine it going quite like this, darling,” Magnus finally said, some of the earlier shock still in his voice.

“Oh? Well, did you expected me to take them to Taki’s in the middle of this? Have a nice chat and a shouting match over dessert? I don’t want to deal with them right now. I said my piece,” explained Alec. He was still riding the adrenaline from his stun, still a bit awed at his own boldness. He had owed it to Magnus though. And more importantly, had owned it to himself.

“I’d rather stay here with you, Mags,” he added.

“Me too, Alexander,” he agreed. “But now, I want you to know that you are officially the dramatic one,” Magnus mocked, booping Alec’s nose with a flourish.

“I can live with that,” Alec whispered, looking at Magnus’ beautiful eyes, grabbing at his boyfriend’s collar and tugging him down gently. The kissed that followed was everything.

Alec didn’t mean to fall asleep. When you only have hours, sleeping isn’t an option. He hadn’t even been that tired (He would suspect later that Magnus might have done something to him).

Like in a dream, he awoke to smart, long fingers in his hair. He could hear the distant chatter of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders army. And below that, barely there, was Magnus’ humming. It was an easy thing, a small sound with an unhurried pace. Alec wondered if Magnus was even conscious he was doing it.

He let it soothe him right back to sleep, like a lullaby.

*******

Clary was laughing.

Really loudly. Head thrown back, the hand that wasn’t holding Alec’s banging on the table madly, like she just had heard the most hilarious joke ever. Or like that time Magnus had turned all Jace’s clothes and gear neon pink to prove a point (Jace, as stubborn as ever, had wore the clothes for an entire month with a panache that had impressed even Magnus).  

“By the Angel! Oh, I can’t believe this!! What a dork!” she managed to say in between fits of giggles.

“What is it? It’s bad, isn’t it?” grimaced Alec. Sensing Alec’s distress, Clary calmed down a bit.

“No, no don’t worry it’s not bad… it’s just so Magnus,” she clarified, and using her free hand, fished her phone out of her bag. She tapped quickly something on it and passed the phone to Alec.

“That’s the song you’re looking for.”

Alec took it gingerly and there it was. The volume had been lowered not to disturb the rest of the diner, but he would have recognize this anywhere. He heard it so many times, at the edge of sleep or wakefulness, sometimes tricking Magnus into thinking he was asleep and that it was safe to hum, just so he could hear it.

God the lyrics were so cheesy. And yet _Lovin’ you means so much more, more than anything I ever felt before_ … By the Angel.. Magnus at been sneaking that kind of declaration around him for a long time. Alec felt himself submerged by his feelings for the warlock.

“Could you,” Alec’s voice failed him, “could you copy this for me? Or send it on my phone?” he asked Clary. The redhead was looking at him fondly, nodding her answer and Alec spied a bit of wetness in her eyes.

“Come on Fairchild, don’t get soft on me now, Magnus isn’t gonna ask himself in marriage,” he tried weakly.

“Oh my god Alec if you cry I cry, and I’m meeting with Mom and Luke after this and you know how noisy those two are and believe me, I won’t crack but I don’t want them to gossip. I’m so happy for you,” Clary promised, taking a tissue and carefully drying her eyes with it. They both laughed, listening absently to _(You Drive Me) Crazy_ by Britney Spears, while finally touching their plates.  


**Author's Note:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING!  
> Sequel is coming
> 
> If you loved it, kudos and comments are ALWAYS a good way to show it, or consider buying me a [coffee](http://ko-fi.com/theleftboobgrabber/)!


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